Elementimals: Blaise's Story
by DirewolfJune
Summary: A world full of color and excitement, but for many, also hardship. As is the case for Blaise, but as he struggles with bullies and life as one of the last Fire Lions left, he finds friendship with someone quite extraordinary.
1. Prologue

I wake early that morning, blinking up at the moss covered ceiling. I roll over and stretch, my claws scrapping on the wooden floor. I sit up and look out my window at the waking town of Howlett.

"Great, time for school." I mumble, not looking forward to the long day it would likely be.

I reluctantly pull myself out of my cosy little moss nest and go to the small pool of water in the middle of my room. I stare into to the clear liquid mirror, wishing that one day a brave lion would look back at me, and not a cowedly cub. I attempt to groom down my unruly half mane. No need to give Blackpaw and his _friends_ anything else to tease me about. After a few seconds I give up and walk out into the main room. I find my adoptive father, Caspian, absent. But he has left a note on the small wooden table, next to my school bag. I walk over and read the note.  
**Went to trade for more berries, lunch food on table**  
I pull open the bag on the table, inside is part of a bread loaf and a handful of berries.

"Thanks _" I say to the empty room.

I take the bag and head strait for school. I walk down the path, watching the shops being opened for the day. The same as always. I retch the sweet little school building and go in, I find my seat at the back in the far corner and sit down, placing my bag beside me. And then Blackpaw walks in, snickering at the sight of me. His small hyena eyes narrowing into slits as if he was trying to decide how to taunt me this time. He led is pack of bullies over to me. Serpentes, a sly green anaconda, flicks her tongue as she came to rest next to my desk. Quaker, a stocky hippo, plods just behind the two giggly raccoon siblings Thistle and Nettle. And the silent crow, _, perched on top of the desk next to mine to eye me.

"Good morning Blaise." Nettle says in more most grating voice possible.

"Morning." I whisper back, so quietly they barley hear it.

"What was that little lion?" Blackpaw barks, leaning closer.

"I um, I" I swallow hard.

"Ha, he can barely put two words together." Quaker booms from behind Thistle.

Blackpaw takes a step back, and I know he is about to use his electricity on me, and I cringe helplessly. But then nothing happens, and I peer up to see Jessica has entered the room, a nimble cheetah with a smooth cream coat, and air symbol spots covering it. She stares at Blackpaw bitterly, flicking her long tail in annoyance. Then lifts her head up high and trots past them to take her set. Nothing makes Blackpaw angrier than someone who thinks they are above him and the nasty things he does.

"Now, where was I?" He says loudly, glancing in Jessica's direction.

But before he can finish the Professor Tallon Feather, an Eagle Owl, flies in and I breath a sigh of relief. He ruffles his brown speckled feathers.

"Please, everyone to their desks." He hoots.

"Don't think your safe now baby mane." Blackpaw growls, and stalks away to his desk at the front.

I look over at Jessica, her tail still flicks with tension. She is the only one who doesn't bully me, she barley looks at me to be honest, but I am secretly grateful, as I would never be able to speak if she did. I blush at the thought of talking to her, she is so perfect. I sigh and turn my attention to the professor.

The day was as predicted, and I go home with a new set of bruises from being tossed around the classroom. I see Jessica speeding home; she whooshes right past me without a second thought. My shoulders sag a little and I keep walking.

"Just one friend, is that too much to ask." I say to myself as I walk up to my little house.

I enter the main room; Caspian is busy preparing food.

"Hey B, how did school go?" The large orange tiger asks in his gruff voice, pausing briefly to look at me.

"The same." I say, dejectedly dumping my school bag by the table.

I could feel his eyes follow me as I walked slowly to my room, I glance into the pool of water as I walk past, I look awful. I sit down and stare out the window, watching the happy people. But it only makes me feel worse, so I turned to stare at my reflection instead, which isn't much better. I close my eyes, collecting my thoughts. Then I feel a strange sensation, and I look up, my small pool of water is rippling slightly. But it is gone as quickly as it came, and I am left to my lonely thoughts once more.


	2. Chapter 1 - Friends and Enemies

I sat at my desk, deep in thought. Yesterday had been the worst, those bullies just wouldn't leave me alone. There taunts are still fresh in my mind, I don't understand how they could be so mean, did they not have feelings of their own? I let out a long sigh, gathering myself for another long day.

"What I wouldn't give for a friend." I mumble, flicking my tail wishfully.

I stare at the wood grains on my desk, too lost in my own head to really notice Onyx bring in a young black wolf with lightning bolts covering his body.

"Hi, I'm Sebastian, what's your name?"

I look up to see he has taken the desk next to mine and find myself both relived and hopeful that maybe this kid would be different.

"Uh um, I'm uh Blaise." I stumble over my words nervously.

"Nice to meet you Blaise, I'm new here, maybe you can show me around later?"

"Yes." I say, nodding.

Maybe today won't be so bad, maybe this is the friend I have been waiting for. But my brief moment of happiness ends when I see the six bullies walk in, Blackpaw, Serpentes, Quaker, Dark, Thistle and Nettle. I look away, trying to make myself as small as I can, which isn't easy being a lion. Maybe they just won't notice me today, I thought. But just like every day they came straight towards me, smirking like nothing could touch them. I swallow, looking back down at my desk.

"Hiya Blaise." Serpentes hiss', the long Green Anaconda coiling her body into a tight ball beneath her to make herself sit up higher.

I don't look up, and just shrink deeper behind my desk in despair.

"What's the matter baby mane?" Thistle asks, his small raccoon body slipping past Serpentes to place his paws on my desk and click his claws along it menacingly.

I swallow again, wishing I was a turtle, then I could hide in my shell. Lucky turtles.

"And who's this?" Blackpaw turns to Sebastian, the tall Hyena puffing out his chest.

All the bullies turn to the young Wolf, and for a brief moment I fell relief. But it is soon replaced with guilt, for wishing in the back of my mind that they would pick on someone else. No one should have to endure this, then I feel a warmth in me, a strength. But it vanishes when I looked at all six of the bullies. What am I thinking, I can't take them all on, Sebastian is on his own.

"Oi!" Nettle called in her shrill Raccoon voice, making me jump nervously, "Listen to Blackpaw when he talks to you."

Sebastian turns and looks Blackpaw right in the eye. I can see his muscles tense, like he is about to take them all on at once. But then he seems to think better of it, and I breathe a sigh of relief. But then Blackpaw sends a bolt of electricity straight at Sebastian and it sends him flying over his desk to smash into the teacher's desk, sending the ceramic bird stand that sat on it toppling to the ground where it shatters into many pieces. The raccoon siblings almost fall over as they laugh hysterically like Blackpaw had just told a joke, not sent someone flying into a desk. Sebastian pulls himself up quicker than I would have thought and walks back to his desk, eyes down. Which only seems to fuel Blackpaw's need for violence, and he begins to charge his electricity. I jump yet again when there is a loud boom that rattles the desks and a ball of air came speeding from behind Blackpaw and hit him in the head, causing him to lose focus and his charge ended with a dull crackle. He turns, his body trembling with anger, and locked eyes with Jessica.

"Did you just hit me?" Blackpaw snarls.

"Yes, yes I did." Jessica replies, completely unamused by the whole situation.

This had escalated very fast, and any moment Professor Talon Feather would fly over, and he would be very upset at the destruction that had been caused. No doubt Blackpaw would blame someone else and likely get us all in trouble.

"I could run circles around you Blackpaw, so don't even think about charging up another jolt." Jessica hisses.

She straightens up from her low stance and composes herself. Suddenly her ears flick back, and she moves so quickly that it nearly knocks Blackpaw over. Within a blink of an eye Jessica is sitting calmly at her desk, licking her paws. And then Professor Talon Feather flies down. We are all in so much trouble now, I think, cringing. He lands on his desk, looking down at his bird perch in dismay.

"Who did this!?" He screeches loudly.

And Blackpaw, who was about to shoot back a nasty remark at Jessica suddenly goes very still. He slowly turns around and looks up at the horrified bird.

"The new kid." Blackpaw says swiftly, "He was showing off, and knocked your perch off your desk."

The Professors two large owl eyes lock onto Sebastian, Blackpaw snickers a little as he goes to his desk. Professor Talon Feather flaps over to Sebastian, and lands on his desk.

"You like to show off do ya?" Professor Talon Feather screeches again, ruffling his feathers.

This was bad, poor Sebastian was about to get into so much trouble and on his first day too. I shuffled my paws, I had to do something. He was so nice to me, he shouldn't get into trouble for something Blackpaw had done, but as much as I want to tell the Professor what had really happened, I couldn't seem to find the words.

"WELL?" Professor Talon Feather screams in Sebastian's face when he doesn't respond.

"No." He finally says in a small, slightly trembling voice.

Suddenly a warmth heats up my small mane, and without thinking I leap up, banging both my paws down heavily on my desk and yell.

"It was all Blackpaw!"

The second the words leave my mouth I shrink back down again. What had I just done? Blackpaw shoots me a murderous look as Professor Talon Feather gathers himself.

"Blackpaw?" The Professor questions, his voice laced with disappointment at the young Hyena's lies.

"Yes Professor?" Blackpaw replies, fear in his eyes.

"Go to the Vice Principals office please." The Professor says, adding the please as if to quill his ever-rising anger.

Everyone gasps, and duck down to avoid the static electricity of fear Blackpaw leaves in his wake. I watch wide eyed as he shoots me and Sebastian a final nasty look before quickly walking off to the small building on the right.

"Now then." The Professor flies back to his desk, picking up the pieces of his broken perch.

Then the last of the students arrive. I let out a relived sigh, and sit up straighter, more then a little proud of myself for standing up for my new friend. I felt my lips curve into a small smile, and I found myself almost surprised I still could. Opel the Opossum hurries over and settles behind her desk. And then Banjo, a very loud Kookaburra bounces along next to Paddy Ducksbill, a Platypus.

And then finally Sunflower, a prissy Golden Lion Tamarin, hurried over and sat on her desk. About five minutes later, the old bell sounds loudly. In my personal opinion it sounded almost nothing like a bell, but it was all there was. Silence falls over the class and Onyx walks over, she stands on her hind legs to whisper something to Professor Talon Feather, whatever it was seems to shock the Professor, he nods and then Onyx turns to the class.

"Well students it's not often, but today we have a new student." She looks over the class and her gaze rests on Sebastian, "Sebastian, he has recently moved here, he made it just in time to learn to control his electricity, right student?"

She then winks at Sebastian, but no one seems to notice. I look over at Sebastian, a little confused. What was that about? I let out a deep sigh as the other teachers arrive.

"All righty then, uh Sebastian was it?" Professor Talon Feather askes.

The young wolf nods.

"Since your new here you might as well know who I, your teacher is." The proud owl pauses, "I am Professor Talon Feather! But you will refer to me as Professor like everyone else."

"Yes Professor." Sebastian says.

"Good." The Professor nods, "Okay everyone, roll call!"

The Professor looks around at the students, and then begins.

"Blackpaw is in with the Vice Principle." He says, "Blaise!"

"Here." I mumble, resting my chin on my desk.

"Banjo."

"HERE!" The Kookaburra shouts in his usually loud fashion.

"Uh, Dark."

I look over at the Crow, who as always, remains silent.

"Okay, Jessica." The Professor continues.

"Present." Jessica calls.

"Nettle."

"HeRe!" Nettle says, in a voice more grating than usual.

"Opel."

"Here." The Opossum says in her sweet voice.

"Paddy."

"Here I am!"

"Quaker."

"HERE!" The Hippo booms.

"Sebastian."

"Uh, yes I'm here." Sebastian says.

"Serpentes."

"Yup." The Anaconda hisses.

"Sunflower."

"So present." Sunflower says, playing with her silky orange fur.

"Thistle."

"hErE!" Thistle shrills partially terribly.

I cringe from the sound, those two… One day we would all go deaf from there incessant shrieking.

"Okay students, first up today is elemental training." Professor Talon Feather states, " Go to the pits and begin, your teachers are already there."

I heave a heavy sigh, looking over at the fire Elementimal pit that is empty and all but unused. My shoulders sag, and I stand to move away and attempt to practice alone when, I hate being the only fire Elementimal… And then Sebastian walks up to me. He smiles.

"Hey Blaise!" He says, "Can I practice with you?"

I look at his lightning bolt covered fur, was he toying with me or was he serious… slowly I nod, watching him carefully. Maybe he was just trying to be nice, or maybe… That's why Onyx had winked, Sebastian must have gone to a patterner. Which meant that he wasn't really an electric Elementimal, and if he was wanting to practice with me then, then he was a fire Elementimal! Excitement boiled inside me, another fire Elementimal, a friend. I almost literally bounced up and down as I took Sebastian to the fire element pit for practice.

"Come on." I say cheerfully, I had never felt to happy in my life.

We walk down into the pit and sit in the centre.

"Are you really a fire Elementimal?" I ask, part of me still sceptical about the whole thing.

"I guess I am, I have a flame under the pattern." Sebastian whispers to me.

"Really? This isn't a joke?" I finally ask him outright.

"Why would I joke about this?" Sebastian looks a little confused.

Now I feel a little bad for doubting him, but also overwhelmed with excitement that I finally have a friend to practice with.

"Okay, try making a small flame first." I instruct him.

I concentrate hard, staring at a single spot on the ground. And after several awkwardly silent seconds a small flame appears, flickering brightly before I lose focus and it vanishes again.

"Okay, your turn." I say, eagerly watching Sebastian.

Sebastian looks at the ground in front of him.

"Concentrate on the fire is inside you, feel it burn." I tell him, "You must call it out. Think of something you love, something that makes you feel warm inside."

Sebastian focuses on the ground, but then he stops and collects a small pile of dried leaves to try and help. I watch him as he tries again.

"I guess it's not working." He finally says, disappointed.

"Did you think of something that makes you happy?" I ask him.

"I don't have anything. I can't remember." He says, frowning.

I stare at him shocked, he can't remember? Anything?

"Well... Maybe if... if you... I mean..." I stumble over my own words, "You really don't remember anything?"

Sebastian shakes his head.

Okay, this makes things harder than. I think for a moment, I knew that anger could make fire just as well, but it was unpredictable and could become out of control easily.

"Well." I finally say, "What is the first thing you remember?"

He had to have some good memory somewhere, and if not, we would just have to make one. Sebastian fronds again.

"My name is all I have." He says

I feel my chest tighten; it must be so horrible to not remember who you are.

"Okay then. New memories it is." I jump to my feet, "Come on."

I walk over to Professor Talon Feather.

"Um... Professor?" I ask.

The Eagle Owl turns to me, his big eyes more than a little intimidating.

"Yes Blaise, what is it?"

"I... um... Sebastian and I were wondering if we could go for a walk." I ask, it's not like there was anyone here to teach us.

The Professor thought for a moment, then seemed to come to the same conclusion.

"Only for a few minutes and stay on the school grounds." He said.

Yes! I nod excitedly, and quickly lead Sebastian away before the Professor can change his mind. I often would walk up to the tall pink bark tree at the far end of the school grounds durn element training. It was peaceful up there and there was no one watching you either. I lead Sebastian up to the tall tree, its branches dipping in the light breeze.

"I always come up here to think." I say, and then realise it is the first time I have ever confided in anyone.

I smile to myself and sit down under the tree, I look up at its twisty pink branches and malti-coloured leaves.

"It's even better at night." I tell him.

Sebastian sits beside me and looks up at the tree, its branches outlined perfectly against the clear blue sky. I had found it was oddly calming to look at a tree. But then suddenly a cold feeling washes over me, I shiver and look around to see it darkening a little around us. There is a rustle in the bushes and a large husky steps out, he must be a Shock Hound. But his lightning bolt pattern is black. I stand and look over at Sebastian. The husky is also looking at him, and I suddenly have a very bad feeling.

"Um… I think we should go…" I say to Sebastian.

We move to leave, but the husky leaps down to stand in our path, his face twisted into an evil snarl. Electricity begins to crackle over his coat, and he sends a jolt flying towards us. There is little time to react and the blast hits me in the chest and knocks me backwards into the tree trunk, I sit dazed. But to say I'm used to being shocked like that would be an understatement and I recover quickly. I'm about to send a fireball at the husky when he leaps at me again, this time sinking his teeth into the back of my neck. The world spins as the husky shakes me violently. I try to call out, but I can't, I'm once more helpless. At the mercy of a much more powerful Elementimal. And just when I think I can't take it for another second Sebastian charges over, circled in fire and ploughs straight into the husky, sending him flying through several trees. I pull myself up onto wobbly paws, its much more of an effort then I thought, that husky really knew how to bite. Sebastian hurries to support me.

"Are you okay?" He asks

"That was awesome." I tell him, in awe at how expertly he used fire when he had too.

"Oh yeah, I used fire!"

It was like he had barely noticed at first, that was good, it meant it came instinctively to him, he was probably over thinking it the first times which is why he wasn't able to make it work.

"Can we sit for a moment?" I ask and at Sebastian's nod I let my back legs give way.

I turn to Sebastian to thank him, but the words linger on my tongue for a moment and then I see part of his pattern is burnt away, and underneath is not the fire symbols I had expected, but instead a star, with what seemed to be all the symbols on it.

"What's wrong?" Sebastian asks.

"What's the matter with your fur and pattern?" I shake my head, just in case I'm not seeing it right.

Nope, still there. Sebastian looks down and freezes, the look of utter terror flashes across his face. Clearly, he never intended for anyone to see that.

"Whoa…" I say in awe.

I had never seen anything like it before, it must be fake… right? I had known his pattern wasn't real but had expected it to be fiery, not… that. Then I notice Sebastian's fearful silence.

"Is that… your real fur?" I ask, suddenly concerned he might run off.

He says nothing, doesn't even look at me.

"It's… nice." I find myself grasping for words, not wanting to say anything that might upset him but at the same time trying to be truthful.

Sebastian mumbles something I don't quite catch and then we both fall into awkward silence. After several agonisingly long and uncomfortable seconds I speak up.

"Do you want… to um… to go back to the patterners?" I ask, my voice once more small and shy.

Wait, was he shaking…? Oh no, now what was I meant to do? Should I go get a teacher? But what if the bullies overheard, poor Sebastian would never hear the end of it…

"Are you… okay?" I ask hesitantly.

Sebastian doesn't move, or speak, and I start panicking.

"Maybe… maybe you should… um… go home?" I suggest, "Where… where are you staying?"

He still doesn't answer me and swallow back my rising panic. Wait, Stormstrider would help. And come to think of it, Sebastian's lightening pattern was very similar to Stormstrider's too. I stand and step up beside Sebastian, shivering a little myself at the sudden drop in temperature. I try and nudge him forward, but he doesn't budge, I cautiously paw at him and am horrified to find him frozen solid!


End file.
